Jess Davis

2 teens face charges in plot to kill classmate that resembled infamous school shooter Investigators say an anonymous tip led to arrests after one teen allegedly brought a knife and supplies to school.

Two female Lake Brantley High School students (age 14 & 15) told officials they intended to kill a classmate & that would create a “blood bond” with Adam Lanza (Sandy Hook kilker) that would bring him back to life.
www.yahoo.com/news/article...

In a world of potlucks, Canada cannot rely on nostalgia for past parties. As the conflict in Iran deepens uncertainty about the global order, the states shaping the future will be those able to bring real capabilities to the table – and invitations to do so will hinge on what we bring. Operationalizing Davos means aligning rhetoric with resources, choosing partners with purpose, showing up when it counts and ensuring our institutions can backstop our promises. If we fail to adapt, the risk won’t just be a lingering sense of exclusion, but diminished prosperity, reduced influence and, ultimately, weakened sovereignty in a far less forgiving international order.

I have a new Op-Ed on how the Carney government can operationalize Davos.

Based on an idea I developed with @thomasjuneau.bsky.social a few years ago but tweaked a bit for our ruptured times.

www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

Suspicious transactions at GTA crypto shops reveal alleged links to Iran-backed terror groups. Is the regulator doing enough to police them? FINTRAC says it rigorously polices the money services sector, has issued more than $200 million in fines, and is monitoring crypto activity.

I've been waiting for this article to come out for a while now. Alarming (but not surprising) allegations of Iranian sanctions evasion & terrorist financing through businesses in Toronto.

But this story gets one thing very wrong:

www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Also, this is exactly the kind of thing the Canadian Financial Crimes Agency should be prioritizing, as I wrote here:

newsletter.insightthreatintel.com/p/a-proposal...

What it describes is potentially criminal non-compliance, sanctions evasion, and terrorist financing. While FINTRAC can issue penalties, it's really up to law enforcement to investigate and prosecute.

So where is the RCMP on this?

Suspicious transactions at GTA crypto shops reveal alleged links to Iran-backed terror groups. Is the regulator doing enough to police them? FINTRAC says it rigorously polices the money services sector, has issued more than $200 million in fines, and is monitoring crypto activity.

I've been waiting for this article to come out for a while now. Alarming (but not surprising) allegations of Iranian sanctions evasion & terrorist financing through businesses in Toronto.

But this story gets one thing very wrong:

www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Obscuring the Money Behind the Bombs: New Data on Terrorist Financial Tradecraft How terrorists are hiding the source, destination, and use of funds -- and what to do about it

📖From the Insight Monitor archives, here's a look at how terrorists use financial tradecraft to hide the source, destination, and use of funds. You might think that crypto is high on the list, but it actually involves more traditional techniques.....
newsletter.insightthreatintel.com/p/obscuring-...

@stephaniecarvin.bsky.social and I talk about this on the pod (coming out Monday, but now also overtaken by events); it's been one file for a long time now....but this week it was split, and now it's back/ I'm so confused.

Precision-Guided Predictions: Intelligence Risk in Prediction Markets Precision-Guided Predictions: The Intelligence Risk in Prediction Markets. Could smartphones leak state secrets? Discover the intelligence risk in prediction markets, where insider trading on platforms like Polymarket threatens national security. Read how betting platforms c...

If you're interested in prediction markets & intelligence, this is a must read: "For an adversary, these markets function as an inadvertent but high-fidelity [indicators & warning] system."

irregularwarfare.org/articles/int...

Ha! I have my doubts.

Not only to have a change so soon after the initial announcement, but also what seems to be a change in structure, back to what it was before the announcement. Wonder what happened?

This is very curious. We just had an announcement this week that Dominic Rochon was going to be the Deputy Secretary for security & intelligence.

www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news...

From Tehran to Sana’a: Cryptocurrency and Sanctions Evasion in the Axis of Illicit Finance Ansarallah (the Houthis) and cryptocurrency-enabled terrorist financing

From the Insight Monitor archives, here's a look at how Iran funds the Houthis through cryptocurrency, and what this means for global security:

newsletter.insightthreatintel.com/p/from-tehra...

"Canada has long been complacent about foreign policy and national security: it could afford to neglect the pressures and incentives of the realities of power, comfortably sheltered as it was by a mostly benevolent United States."

Exclusive | U.A.E. Explores Freezing Iranian Assets to Punish Tehran for Attacks Any crackdown on Iran’s shadow financing networks in the Gulf state would strangle Tehran’s access to foreign currency and global trade.

If UAE freezes Iranian assets, it'll be HUGE. It will not stop Iranian trade / proxy financing, but it will deal it a big blow, and force more $ through its crypto networks, which are not sufficiently liquid or large enough to absorb this activity.

www.wsj.com/world/middle...

Russia is providing Iran intelligence to target U.S. forces, officials say The targeting information has included the locations of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East, the officials said.

“the rapidly expanding conflict now features one of America’s chief nuclear-armed competitors with exquisite intelligence capabilities.”

www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

In other news, I finished the second last chapter of Book3. One more to go, then just intro and conclusion.

I'll allow it.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Academia giveth and also taketh away.

Success on one thing and no success on another thing. 'Tis a rollercoaster.

Opinion: As Canada prepares to go it alone on critical issues, a financial crimes agency is key It’s an opportunity to create a world-class system to protect our financial sector

A reminder of what I think that agency should do:

www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

And there's a DM-level lead for the Financial Crimes Agency.

It almost feels like there might be some movement on that file!

Carney is also bringing in someone from Blackrock to be the deputy for international trade.

Guess he didn't think the expertise at GAC was sufficient. (Tracks with recent treatment of GAC during WFA cuts...)

I'm not necessarily opposed, but it will require significant cooperation. Security & intelligence issues in Canada don't just have an international nexus -- they are driven by global factors, trends & issues.

Some interesting things here. It seems like a split between foreign policy and security & intelligence issues in Canada (no more NSIA position).

FINALLY

It was such a pleasure and an honour to be invited onto your great podcast, thank you!

Pro-Iran ‘hacktivists’ could target Canadian organizations, cybersecurity experts warn Political activists, journalists and human rights advocates also likely to be targeted, the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security says

Pro-Iran ‘hacktivists’ could target Canadian organizations, cybersecurity experts warn www.theglobeandmail.com/business/eco...

Available on YouTube, spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

YouTube video by Secure Line Nardi on Natsec

🚨🎙️A new Secure Line is out! @stephaniecarvin.bsky.social , @leahwest-nsl.bsky.social and I talk to @christopher.bsky.social about reporting on national security issues in Canada. It's a fun romp, so you'll definitely want to have a listen :)

youtu.be/V3WGmZqiNdQ?...